Signaling device



March 15, 1932. c. T cRocKER SIGNALING DEVICE Filed March 25, 1930Inventor. Ciar-cnceT Crocker, b m

Patented Mar. 15, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLARENCE T. OROCKER,OF SGHENEGTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T GENERAL ELEG- TRIO COMPANY, A.CORPORATION OF N YORK SIGNALING Innvrcn Application filed March 25,1936. Serial No. 438,862.

automatic operation, the circuit of which is maintained uninterruptedand in no way afi'ected by the periodic operation of the device.

In the following specification I describe the invention in detail,having reference to the accompanying drawings, Fig. l of which showsdiagrammatically circuits and apparatus embodying the features of theinvention. In this figure the apparatus is shown in perspective. Fig. 2is a side view of the signaling device of the invention, in a suita'blecontainer. Fig. 3 shows a portion of the apparatus, Fig. l, with theelectrodes in contact. Y

The device of the invention is indicated as being supplied with currentfrom an alternating current line, through the medium of a full waverectifier, but a storage battery ora motor generator set with a suitableflywheel may be used.

In the drawings I have represented the current as being supplied to thedevice from the rectifier through the medium of a suitable choke coil.The object of this coil is to prevent the current in the circuit fromrising to a peak value too suddenly when the electrodes come together.This coil may be designed so as to retard the rise of the current to anyextent convenient, as for example to a value of two hundred amperes intwotenths of a second. When the current reaches this value a trip coilis energized which breaks the circuit and produces the flash, the energyin the system being discharged through the arc. When a storage batteryor a motor generator is used, this function of the coil is not soimportant, but it has another function, namely, that of prolonging thearc and making it more effective than would otherwise be the case.

Referring more in detail to the drawings,

the flashing device of the invention comprises a pair of electrodes 2and 3 between which the flash takes place. The electrode 2 may consistof a metallic body, such as copper, while the electrode 3 may consist,for example, of iron. Conducting bodies of other kinds may besubstituted, however, for the ones indicated. The electrode 3 is held inposition by the elements of the feeding mechanism, which mechanism isunder the control of the ratchet 4, which latter is adapted to be drivenby a pawl 5 so as to rotate the feed roller 6, as indicated by thearrow, that is, in a counter-clockwise direction. The pawl 5 is mountedon the end of a rod 7, which rod is adapted to be raised and loweredperiodically as I will presently describe. When the rod is pressed down,a spring element 8, coiled about the rod, is compressed between theupper end of the rod and'the frame element 8. When the rod descendssufficiently the pawl passes over one or more of the teeth on theratchet wheel 5 without affecting the ratchet, but when the rod ispermitted to rise under the pressure of the spring 8, the pawl engagesone of the teeth of the ratchet wheel, thereby rotating the latter, aswell as the feed roller 6, and thereby advancing the electrode 3 apredetermined amount, depending upon the stroke of the rod 7.

A motor 9 is provided for rotating a cam element 10 about the axis of ashaft 11, which latter is supported in a bearing in the frame 11 of thedevice. This cam is designed to cause the arm 12 to oscillate about thelongitudinal axis of the screw 13, which latter is located on the end ofthe arm 14. The arm 12 is also caused by the same cam to oscillate aboutthe axis of the shaft 11, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3. On the end ofthe arm 12 there is provided a pawl 15 adapted to engage a pin 15 on anoscillating element 16, which element is mounted to oscillate about theaxis of the shaft 17 In other words, the element 16 is loosely mountedon the shaft 17, the latter being journaled to rotate in the bearing 18secured to the frame of the device.

On the shaft 17 there is provided a collar 19 secured to rotate with theshaft and to which one end of a heavy coiled spring 29 is secured, theother end of thls sprmg being secured in turn to the element 16.Therefore, while the shaft is stationary the tension of the spring 20may be varied by oscillating the element 16 about the shaft. Secured tothe shaft 17 are two arms 21and 22, the latter holding on the endthereof the electrode 2. Said electrode and the circuit conductorsleading thereto are maintained insulated from the frame in an suitablemanner, as for example by an insu ating element 40'. It will be seenthat on the end of the arm 22 a suitable holder 23 is provided which ispivoted to the arm 22 by means of the pin 24. Normally the holder 23 ismaintained in aforward position b a compression spring 25, the function.0 which 18 to permit electrode 2 to ield when it strikes the electrode 3during t e course of operation of the device. Normally'the arm 21 isheld in a raised position by the spring 26 with the forward end 27resting against the adjusting screw 28, which latter is located on anelement securedto the frame. The same spring normally holds the arm 22back with the electrodes separated. The object of the screw 28 is toregulate the length ofthe gap between the electrodes. It wi 1 be seenthat the rod 7 passes through a slot in'the arm On the under side of theslot the rod 7 is provided with an adjustable nut 29, which, during theoperation of the device, is sometimes engaged by the arm 21 to depressthe rod 7 against the tension of the spring 8, as shown in Fig. 3. Theengagement depends upon the location of the end of electrode 3 withrespect to electrode 2. The operation of the arm 21 for depressing therod 7 is produced through the medium of the cam 10, which causes the arm15 to advance while in engagement with the pin 15', thereby causing theelement 16 to rotate clockwise, thus increasing the tension in spring20, rotating the shaft 17 and causing the engagement of the electrodes 2and 3, and also causing the engagement of the arm 21 with nut 29 if theelectrode 3 is sufiiciently consumed. As soon as the gap between theelectrodes 2 and 3 is closed, a circuit is established through the chokecoil 30, the trip coil 31 and the electrodes 3 and 2 in series whichcircuit terminates in a rectifier 32, as for-example of the mercury pooltype, connected to draw current from the alternating current line 33through a suitable, transformer. V

After the electrodes 2 and 3 engage the current rises in the circuit andin time reaches a predetermined value, two hundred amperes, for example,at which time the trip magnet 31 responds. This magnet is provided withan armature 34 which then operates to disengage the pawl 15 from the pin15, thereby permitting the spring 26 to restore the arm 21 to its normalposition in engagement with the stop 28 and at the same time cause theseparation of electrodes 2 and 3, thus establishin an arc between theseelectrodes and brea ing it to terminate the flash. Ordinarily, theelectrode 3 is set in a given position so that the electrodes strikebefore the arm 21 strikes the nut 29 of the feed mechanism, but as theelectrode 3 wears away the arm 21 advances more and more until the armstrikes the nut 29, thereby depressing the rod 7 sufiiciently to causethe pawl 5 to clear at least one tooth on the ratchet wheel 4. Theresult is that-upon thereturn stroke the electrode 3 is advanced onestep corresponding to one tooth of the wheel 4. Havin been thusadvanced, the wheel 4 is not ordinarily advanced again until severalflashes have been produced. Bythis means,- therefore, the end of theelectrode is maintained at substantially a given point with a variationof not more than that corresponding to one tooth 'of the wheel 4;

It will be understood that the-spring 20 on the shaft 17 operates as acushion for the arm 22 when the electrode 2 engages the electrode 3andalso when the arm 22 returns to its normal position, that is, whenthe screw 36 on the projection 35 of the element 16 stnikes the arm 21after the element 16 is released. The object of the screw 36 is toenable the igm 16 to be adjusted with respect tothe arm The motor 9,after the flash, continues to advance the cam 10 which in due course, atthe end of live seconds for example, will again advance the arm 12 andagain cause an engagement between the electrodes 2 and 3, repeating theoperation previously described. It will be seen that the arm 15 ismaintained in. its forward position by a compression spring 36'between-the heel of the arm 15 and a shelf on the arm 12. Also the arm12 is biased against the cam 10 by the tension spring 37 which tends torotate the arm 12 in a clockwise direction.

Therefore, by means of this mechanism, periodic flashes may be producedbetween the electrodes 2 and 3, which, because of the nature of theelectrodes and because of the amount of energy delivered between theelectrodes, are of exceptionally high intensity and of exceptionallypenetrating character so that in the event of a fog the whole mass ofthe fog in the neighborhood becomes lighted up, thus enabling an aviatorto find the point of location of the device even through the densest fogat a great distance much more effectively than heretofore. 3

Although my description has been directed to the specific form ofapparatus shown in the drawings, it will be understood that I do notlimit the invention to this particular form of apparatus. In fact, Icontemplate any variations and modifications that fall within the scopeof the claims contained here- 5 What I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a signaling device, apair of electrodes, an electric circuit connected to said electrodes andmeans for moving one elec- 1 trode periodically into and out ofengagement with the other electrode including an arm supporting oneelectrode, a spring connected to said arm to bias the electrode out ofengagement with the other electrode, a

1 plate carrying a pin connected to said arm, a pawl adapted to engagethe pin to move the electrode into engagement with the other electrode,means to oscillate the pawl, and a trip coil connected in said electriccircuit 2 and adapted to lift the pawl out of engagement with the pin toreleasethe electrode from engagement with the other electrode upon theincrease of the current in the circuit to a predetermined value.

2 2. In a signaling device, a pair of electrodes, an electric circuitconnected to said electrodes, an arm supporting one electrode forrelative movement with respect to the other electrode, a springconnected to the arm to bias the movable electrode out of engagementwith the other electrode, a plate carr ing a pin, a resilient connectionbetween said plate and said arm, a pawl adapted to engage the pin tomove the movable electrode into engagement with the other electrode,means to oscillate said pawl, a trip coil connected in said circuit tomove the pawl out of enga ement with the pin to release the mova leelectrode from engagement with the other 40 electrode upon the increaseof the current in the circuit to a predetermined value.

3. In afsignaling device, a pair of electrodes, an electric circuitconnected to said electrodes, an arm supporting one electrode 4.5 formotion relative to the other electrode, means for moving said electrodeinto and out of engagement with the other electrode, and means forfeeding the other electrode to compensate for consumption of theelectrodes including a ratchet, a pawl to move said ratchet step bystep, a rod connected to said pawl, a spring biasing the rod to oneposition, a second arm connected to the arm supporting the movableelectrode and adapted to contact the rod to move it against the actionof the sprin whereby the feeding of the other electrode is determined bythe motion of the movable electrode.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 24th day of March,1930.

- CLARENCE T. CROCKER.

